Barry Willis

This is a video I took still photos of off the TV. The lady didn't realize it was a coyote. A good dose of bear spray would have prevented this. The coyote even returned to try again. Thank fully the little guy survived but it was a very long and painful process. And you can be sure he went through Hell and he will never forget it. I don't know about the eastern cities but this is happening all too frequently out west here. Coyotes even approaching and circling people that don't have a dog with them. I'm sure most of you are aware of this, just a reminder if there are coyotes in your area. Keep your head on a swivel and pay attention to your dog if he becomes alert of something. It could be a squirrel, a cat, or worse.

While you lucky folks in Ontario are basking in very pleasant temperatures, this is typical Calgary weather, yesterday. Three years ago the snow came mid September and stayed. Last winter -56 for a few weeks with blizzard conditions.

Very nice catch.

As some of you may know tomorrow is Lew and Diane's 58th wedding anniversary. "Wow" there is something to be said for that. Happy anniversary folks and many more to come. Lew, 58th wedding anniversary is called Maple Wedding, which seems suiting, you being a nature nut (such as myself)and Diane enjoying the wildlife photos. Wishing you two a very super nice anniversary.

Looks truly AWESOME Spiel.

Thank you very much John. 50 years is a mile stone for sure, congratulations to you both. I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to do for Brenda on our 50th. I know I have to do something special for seldom being home with my fishing, hunting etc. and farming took up a big share of it while she stayed home raising our boys. Maybe I'll just take her fishing. She is a very adept and accomplished angler, she'll out fish most other seasoned anglers, of course she had a good teacher Haha. Our anniversary is May 1st, a good time of the year to go, and I know she'd love it. I wish I had known about this site 20 years ago. Lew say's it was very interesting back then. I still act like a young whippersnapper but don't feel like one most days. My boys call me the teenage old man and I love it. I'll take up any challenge. Done some skate boarding a couple weeks ago. Still have the cuts and bruises to prove it from when I hit the gravel LOL.

Thank you very much Lew, I will tell her, she knows through conversation that I feel very privileged to consider you a best friend. Man, isn't that something, 58 years for you and Diane. Congratulations just doesn't seem like enough. These days a lot of couples get married and 6 months down the road they are consulting a divorce lawyer.

That must have been very discouraging at the beginning, but you obviously got beyond the bad and into the good. It looks awesome. Patience and perseverance in some cases pays off.

Thanks very much Guys. As we discussed in one of our private conversations Lew, a few weeks ago my wife, my fishing and hunting Buddy of 47 and a half years and having been together for 53 and a half had her open heart surgery, over 12 hours of it. Her heart was much worse than they thought. It didn't look good for a while and is still a little iffy. So things are a little somber around here. She does have a full time nurse staying with us. She requested an elk roast for thanks giving supper with all the fixings out of my garden and my York Shires and gravy, so that's exactly what she is going to get. She is very week and needs help getting around and spends most her time in bed. Man, I wish I could trade places with her. But she has always been a very strong Gal and I expect she will eventually pull through this like nothing ever happened. Fingers crossed. I don't even know why I am posting this on here except for the fact that all my Buddy's out west here have moved on to Gods greener pastures and no one to talk to. I hope I didn't run off at the mouth here more than I should have. Seems to be a habit lately. If she finds out I posted these pictures of her I'll be joining my Buddy's up yonder. So if you don't hear from me for a spell you'll know what happened. LOL.

Holy smokes Spiel, that looks super nice, that's one of a kind, you'll never find another one like it. As misfish put it, Natures Art, so true. Personally I would have kept it for myself. I have a fair bit of Douglas Fir for projects and firewood, of course where I live it's only a few hours drive to the BC sawmills and a very scenic drive at that. Ya never know what you're going to see. I usually get big rounds but nothing the log splitter can't handle. I also get a lot of BC red wood cedar as well which is awesome no matter what one wants to do with it.

To all my friends on the Ontario Fishing Community. As some of you know I hunt, so something I started with our family and friends in the early 80's as well as having turkey or ham is to have a roast of wild meat that I was fortunate enough to harvest. That to me is Giving Thanks. Have a super nice one guys with your family and friends.

Awesome.

Does not surprise me a bit misfish. Good going.

I can not get over your craftsmanship Spiel, I wish I had your talent and know how. You never mentioned when dinner was going to be ready. I can barely remember the last time I had a big scoff of Walleye, it and Halibut being my favorite.

I am glad you enjoyed it. Not to brag but my family and friends say I have a way with animals, for some reason they are drawn to me and will almost come to within petting range. There was a time my wife and I were on a wildlife photography trip in Kananaskis Alberta. We began hiking up a mountain and we spotted a herd of big horn sheep. My wife stayed back and I hiked up the mountain for closer shots. I sat on a rock and began taking pictures as they came closer. My wife kept pointing and I am thinking yeah I see them, then see made a above and down point so I finally clued in and turned around and here was a big horn ram behind me within arms reach. I got some awesome pics of him on 35mm, no digital back then. I've had deer, moose, and even bears approach me and in most case with no harm to me. There were a few hairy and frightful times though that they weren't approaching out of curiosity or kindness, usually during breeding breeding season. They wanted me out of their living room LOL. We have whiskey jacks out here as well, More times than not when we are hunting they come looking for a hand out. Here are a few pics of a decent mule deer I have posted before that I had been taking pics of for a few months. he would let my get fairly close to him but he, as you can see he always had a devilish look in his eyes and never took them off me. I named him Malsum, the devil deer. I was to enter a photo contest that very morning in January at the Alberta fish and Game antler and horn measure that I had won several years in a row and wasn't happy of my pics of him so I went out that morning looking for him, he was where I expected I would find him browsing. As soon as he saw me he charged. I had no where to go so I had no choice but to just stand there, hold my ground and photograph him. He stopped just a few steps away and looked to the east as much as to say, Oh good morning, I'm just looking over there. This is a short version of the charge. As Shag pointed out, there's a time to shoot with the camera and times to shoot with a rifle, I was only armed with my camera and he's absolutely right. I'm lucky he didn't gore me as I never would have survived with them antlers and his size and strength. It was totally unexpected. I was back in the middle of no where and never let anyone know where I was. And yes I won the photo contest Haha. The pics aren't all that sharp as they are digital pics of 35mm prints. I have a lot more pics of deer coming within arms reach. One, I actually slapped his head good and hard as he was trying to mount me during the rut.

I just started feeding these guys every morning, six of them, a week ago. Should have been doing it years ago, too late smart. I've been feeding them dog kibbles that Matty doesn't like and some beef wieners that I don't like. I expect in the next couple days or so I will have at least two of them eating out of my hand, came pretty close this morning. Magpies are in fact super intelligent. Same as crows, they recognize faces and will quite often bring gifts to those that feed and look after them, it may be a pine needle or a leaf or something shinny they find and they will go out of their way in search for the right item that they are happy with to do so, pretty special I think.

Not all that much to show after being untouched for 60+ days. The reason being cattle were putting on the feed bag and bedding down and chewing their cud in front of three of the cameras. 17,227 pics of cattle LOL. Here are the best ones. On the drive out a wolverine crossed the road a ways up in front of us. First one I've ever seen, it really made my day. Folks can live in the same area as wolverines, same as wolves, for a life time and never see one.

Wow is right, that's very nice Lew. I am just about to post some trail cam pictures. There's some I think you will enjoy.

Man, I can't believe what you have done with this already Spiel, Hell, I'd be happy with it just the way it is. I was thinking about your much needed product maybe being epoxy but it appears your past that stage if in fact you use it, so I am wondering if it has something to do with the finish. You kinda left us in suspense here LOL.

Very nice Spiel. Can't wait to see the end result.

It's a tough grind being a farmer most any where in Canada these days.

I will start checking my receipts after reading that ketchenany thank you, (I love your handle), I used to and for some reason got away from doing it. Couple weeks back, no frills as well, three rolls of paper towels, eleven bucks and change, I couldn't believe it, used to buy twice that many for half that much, same brand.

...

The pictures of the big tomatoes were from two seasons ago, I couldn't find the ones of last year and forgot to edit. They're always about the same anyway.